Egly Denied Laguna Democrats' Plug for "Cavorting With Republicans"

The Democratic Party of Orange County held its monthly meeting Monday night, and from what the LiberalOC blog reports, there was more drama going on than a Breaking Bad episode. 

It was endorsement time, when party mucky-mucks decide on which candidates they'll be backing in the November 6 election. Everything seemed to be running smoothly—the Laguna Beach Democratic Club endorsed Mayor Pro-Tem Verna Rollinger for another term on the city council by consent.

But when it came time to endorse Mayor Jane Egly—who, like Rollinger, is up for reelection—that's when things got a little ... odd.

Though it appeared Egly would be endorsed as well, the club yanked the vote for further discussion.

Then the came details. LBDC member Audrey Prosser accused Egly of "cavorting with Republicans," says the LiberalOC.

Prosser then made the accusation that Republicans are financing Egly's campaign, and that Egly supposedly conspired with Republicans on the city council to wrestle away the mayoral post from Rollinger when the council voted to approve a new mayor last December.

Some context Prosser may not be aware of: Egly served as mayor pro-tem behind then-Mayor Toni Iseman during the year-long council term that ended in December, 2011. In the city's rotating mayoral term, the mayor pro-tem almost always is next in line to become mayor. Which means that Rollinger is pretty much a lock to be the next mayor, if she gets re-elected.

Also, assuming the mayoral post was hardly an Egly power grab: the vote to put Egly in the mayor's chair passed unanimously, 5-0 — a vote that included Rollinger's.

Also also, I've seen nearly two years' worth of city council meetings while editing Laguna Beach Patch, and it's pretty hard to tell the elephants from the donkeys on that dais.

In the end, however, the club voted not to endorse Egly.

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